


One Day More

by LeafontheWinf2



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Asgard, Dragons, F/M, Female Loki, Jotunheim, Jounrey through Nine Realms, Jötunn Loki, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki and Steve bromance, M/M, Mermaids, Midgard, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-22
Packaged: 2017-12-03 07:36:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/695836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeafontheWinf2/pseuds/LeafontheWinf2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers hadn't expected to be pulled into this battle. And he doesn't mean the Battle for New York. No, this is the Battle for the Nine Realms and he and his allies as wokring together to keep the Other from creating a weapon that can wipe worlds from the map. The last part the Other needs, Steve's heart. So now he's got an elf, a changeling, and one very amused Loki helping keep him alive and back to Tony before his heart is ripped out of his chest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Mercenaries

**Author's Note:**

> I started this wondering what would happen if instead of mind control, a copy of Loki fought the Avengers. While the real Loki is happily in Jotunheim meeting his new family and then Thor shows up and is all "Brother how could you!" while the real Loki is all "wtf Thor?" Somehow it turned into a saga of how Steve and Loki create a bromance while killing mermaids and fighting dragons.

The room was warm, lit by a large fire smoking quite happily in the fire pit. The smoke filled the air, making a nice haze that covered the figure lounging around the room while they traded stories and smiles as they chattered away. 

Sitting in a back corner three figures leaned in close to talk. They were strangers to the land they had managed to find, exotic specimens that would have gathered attention if they weren’t so adapt at blending into crowds from their line of work. 

The first was a small female who hailed from the realm of Svartalfeim. She was willowy, all legs with a narrow waist and virtually no chest. Her skin was a deep rich brown that accented her golden eyes and silver lips. Her hair was a pale blue and pulled into a series of intricate braids that framed her elfen face. 

The second was a giant of a man, slumped forward in his seat to appear smaller to his companions. His skin is rusty brown and his amber eyes sparkle cheerfully. His bald head is scarred in places as he leans in close to his companions and grins wickedly while talking in his thick rolling accent. He is a changeling from the Sidhe Realms, a winter child who left to make his mark on the world and when he straightens up to his full towering height he is terrifying.

The final companion is a whisp of a woman. She is stunningly beautiful with large expressive green eyes and a full red mouth. Her long wavy black hair is decorated with large jade beads as she tilts her head and smiles impishly. She is tall and curvy, a gorgeous body that any man would love if she moved from the shadows. Decorating her pale face are the raised markings of the Jotun, the people she hails from in blood by not through raising. 

“There’s a new one,” the elf drawls out, her voice a husky drawl that differs from her delicate face, “He’s going after a Midgardian.”

The Jotun raises an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side in confusion. She never speaks, but they understand her perfectly.

“He’s got a pure heart,” whispers the elf, eyes bright and wild, “Can you imagine how wonderful it must be, to have a pure heart for his spells? For his darkness?”

“There must be more than that,” demanded the changeling, his voice a deep rumble that reverberated through his companion’s bones, “There are many pure hearts in the world.”

“This Midgardian bested him in battle, led a group of them against his army,” the elf grinned wickedly, her eyes sliding to the Jotun, “He helped best the copy of you the Other has made.” 

The Jotun raised her eyebrow, looking impressed. It was rare someone managed to best a copy of herself. She was powerful, and though the copy was just a shade of her true power it was still formidable.

The changeling whistled, “A warrior with a pure heart? That’s some powerful stuff right there. Any idea what the Other has over him?”

“Only the most dangerous thing in the Nine Realms,” the elf whispered darkly, “His True Love.”

The Jotun groaned and slammed her head into the table before lying still. True Love was the only thing that could get anyone to do anything. It was the most powerful force in the realms, and if someone stole a heart that was full of it then they could be invincible.

“Does the Other have his True Love, or is the lucky guy still out there?” the changeling asked. The Jotun turned and arched an eyebrow causing his to snort, “It’s a valid question, be quiet.”

The elf rolled her eyes before leaning in even closer. “His True Love is being sent to kill him,” whispered the elf, “And he will succeed. The moment the warrior is killed by the one he loves will shatter his heart, the perfect time to collect it for a spell. All we need to do is grab the warrior before the Other does and get him to safety.” 

“Because that’s so easy,” the changeling grumbled.

“Of course it is,” the elf sniffed haughtily, “We do have the most powerful sorcerer in all the Nine Realms. This will be a simple job, go in, grab his semi-lifeless body, get it out and go kill the Other and take back what he stole from us. It’ll be a moon walk.” 

Her two companions shared a look before sighing. There was no arguing, they had to head out. And with a flash of magic, the three were gone leaving an empty booth in the smoky room as they disappeared to fight against the Other once again. 

There was no rest for the wicked of course.


	2. Pure Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is found by a rather strange bunch who need his help.

He’s lying on a warm bed, covered by soft furs. That’s all he can tell from the feel of his body which is still so heavy as he just lies there and wonders if he can sleep the night away. But there was something he had to do, some reason to get up and keep going…

“Oh goody, he’s awake now,” a smoky voice called above him before a bony finger poked his shoulder hard, “Wakey wakey soldier boy. We have work for you to do.”

With a soft groan, Steve Roger’s allowed his eyes to flutter open as he took in his surroundings. He froze, seeing a grinning woman leaning down to stare into his eyes, her golden eyes glittering with glee.

“Wow, he’s a cutie,” she cooed happily, “I’d snap him up in a heartbeat if he wasn’t in love and all that shit. Why can’t I keep him as a pet?”

Steve sat up quickly, glaring at the woman who moved fluidly out of his way.

“Who are you?” he demanded, “Where am I? What do you want with me and….where are my clothes?”

The woman rolled her eyes before answering, “I’m Niya, you’re in Jotunheim, I want to have sex with you, and you’re clothes are being burned to a crisp right now because they were coated in blood.”

Steve just blinked at her in stunned shock, “What…did you say to me?”

The woman opened her mouth to answer before the door to the room slammed open and a large man with a wide grin and a tiny dark woman entered the room and sighted him. The woman quirked an eyebrow while the man grinned wider.

“He awakens!” he bellowed out, “By the gods, today is made for much rejoicing if this mortal graces us with his presence!”

Steve just gawked at the three before yelling, “Who the hell are these two?”

“I am the mighty Hodor!” the man bellowed in a way that reminded Steve of Thor, “And you have met my other companion before, or a shade of her.”

Steve just stared at these lunatics before demanding, “What does that mean?”

“This is Loki,” Niya announced grandly, “The Loki you fought against was a shade of her, a copy if you will made from a part of her that was tied into her true being.”

The woman, Loki, stepped forward before offering Steve a sweet smile while tilting her head towards him. She gazed at him expectantly obviously waiting for some kind of answer that Steve was supposed to give. He just stared back at her.

“She’s asking if you’re comfortable,” Hodor explained with a chuckle. 

Steve frowned, “Why didn’t she just ask herself? When I fought Loki he wouldn’t stop talking.”

“That’s what was part of her,” Hodor explained quickly while Loki took a seat on Steve’s bedding and checked him over, “She was once known as Loki Silvertongue. So when she encountered the Other and he decided to make a copy of her because she refused to submit, he cut out her tongue. Now she is mute.” 

“It’s all really complicated magical stuff that I don’t care about,” Niya admitted with a shrug, “Something about how a shade is a copy of you because magic said so and that’s that.”

The four others just stared at her before Loki let out a huge sigh and threw her hands into the air in disgust. Hodor just chuckled in amusement while Loki stomped around the room with a cross frown on her face while shaking her fist at Niya.

Steve couldn’t stop the smile from gracing his face at their interaction. They just looked so relaxed around each other and acted just like a team. It was like being around the Avengers right then. 

Suddenly Loki turned and pinned him with a sharp look. She crossed the icy room before climbing onto the bed next to him and sticking her fingers in his mouth and pulling in different direction. Steve let out a displeased squawk at her but Loki paid him no mind.

“I apologize for her behavior, she’s a typical magician,” Hodor admitted with a sigh. Steve made an inquisitive noise and he continued, “Well Loki is a strong and powerful sorceress. They often do things for no understandable reason and then somewhere down the line it starts raining newts when you really need newts. Trust me my boy, let her do whatever it is she’s doing and then she will leave you be.”

With a nod, Loki pulled her hands from his mouth and sat back on the bed. She fixed Steve with a wicked grin and settled across from him on the bed. Loki reached forward and placed a hand over his heart, her eyes gleaming with an internal light that swirled around her irises as she tilted her head. 

Loki slid from the bed and moved towards the window. Loki and Niya shared a loaded look before Loki turned to look out the window and ignored the rest of the people in the room.

Niya let out a deep sigh before taking a seat on Steve’s bed. “She wants me to tell you stuff,” Niya admitted, “Loki said that you got yourself shot protecting your one true love and as you lay dying the Other came to steal your heart. But Loki snatched you away and brought you here before pulling your soul back from the afterlife and you’re good as new.”

Niya then frowned and cocked her head to the side, “Well, she either said that or really really wanted roses right now.”

Steve ignored the second part and stared at Loki who ignored him for the view. “You saved me?” Steve asked softly.

Loki turned back and nodded slowly before approaching the bed.

Steve smiled weakly at her, “Thank you for that Loki. I’m…sorry they copied you and made it attack New York and kill a lot of people and sort of get you charged for treason in Asgard.”

“Asgard? What use does Loki have for Asgard?” Hodor demanded with a bright laugh, “Come my friend. We shall show you why our dear Loki is safe from the threat of Asgard.”

Steve stumbled out of bed and headed towards Hodor. The giant of a man opened the door and Niya walked through with a bright grin and beckoned for Steve to follow. Loki appeared at his shoulder and offered him an elbow. Steve took it with a smile and the two exited the room followed closely by Hodor. 

The entire hallway was made of ice that was intricately carved with swirling knot designs as they moved through the halls. Large arching windows opened out onto a snow covered landscape with large mountains in the distance.

“Where are we?” Steve demanded, his eyes wide as he took in what looked like blue people in the distance. 

“Jotunheim,” Niya announced, “The land Loki is actually from. Turns out she’s a royal of this household.”

“Sorcerers are apparently not giants here, the magic stunts their growth or something making them about our size,” Hodor explained while Loki gestured with her free arm making Steve laugh brightly as they moved together through the halls, “So when the king here sees an Asgardian who is actually a Frost Giant, well, it didn’t go so well. Then little Loki here wandered into the king’s palace with her tongue cut out and was welcomed into the family.”

Steve fixed Loki with a searching look, “You’re a lot more dangerous than Thor let on…”

Loki fixed him with an amused look that basically read “You honestly listen to Thor?” as she led him through the ice palace. 

“Look, Thor seems like a nice guy from the twelve times I broke into the palace in Asgard to steal stuff, but the guy has no clue with magic,” Niya announced while rolling her eyes as they moved out onto a large balcony, “Seriously no one there thinks magic can be dangerous, that it’s a woman’s craft. Which is stupid cause Loki can turn you into a squirrel then step on you, so yeah its dangerous. Morons.” 

“Huh,” Steve fixed Loki with a considering look as she let go of his arm to throw herself over the edge of the balcony and wave excitedly at the figure on the ground, “She doesn’t look dangerous to me.”

“That’s what she wants you to think,” Hodor told him with a grin, “It’s amazing how little she actually cares.”

Of course that was the moment Loki took to slip on the ice covered floor and pitched forward, waving her arms around to regain her balance as she nearly slid over the balcony. Steve quickly caught her and placed her on her feet before Loki turned and patted him on the head while grinning brightly. Steve couldn’t help but grin back at her as he pulled her away from the edge. 

Hodor laughed brightly at them before clapping Loki on a thing shoulder. Loki stumbled forward before glaring playfully at her ally.

“She is a dangerous little thing, and her sire is quite proud of her for it,” Hodor told Steve in his loud booming voice, “From what I have heard he was quite heartbroken to discover her missing from the high altar where she was placed for safety during the war. To gain her back is a blessing for her blood family and she is quite happy here with them.”

“That’s great and all but let me cut to the chase,” Niya announced, leaning forward and pressing her chest against Steve ignoring Hodor’s grumblings at getting his story interrupted by the elf, “We need you…to work with us. Understand?” 

Steve frowned at her, “Why? What are you people planning?”

Loki threw herself back towards them with a bright grin and started waving her arms while her face contorted as she stalked around them. Steve sighed at her, “Loki I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.” 

“We need you to help us stop the Other from destroying the worlds,” Hodor told him, the cheerful face serious for once, “He wanted your heart, because it is a powerful one that is powered by True Love. But Loki foiled his plans, it’s a hobby of hers to ruin whatever she wants, and now he needs the one thing that will get you to give him your heart.”

Steve felt a chill going down his back that had nothing to do with cold go down his back, “What does he need?”

“You’re True Love’s heart,” Niya told him while Loki made a heart with her fingers, “If he takes that then we’re screwed. Because he can only use you’re heart for his spell and you WILL trade your heart for your love’s. That’s just simple fact. 

Steve turned away from them to lean against the balcony. He noticed in an absentminded way that his arms were trembling and he knew it was not from the cold. The thought of this monster getting his hands around that heart, one which was so warm and open once Steve managed to dig through all the layers and found a home in, made him sick. 

Steve startled as a gentle hand pressed against his back. Loki’s bright green eyes shone with compassion for him as she smiled sadly. He got the feeling she had faced something similar.

“So, are you in?” Niya demanded and Steve could hear her impatience. 

Steve crossed his arms over his chest, taking in each of the individuals standing in front of him. The dark skinned elf with a wicked grin, the giant man with an easy smile, the mute enchantress with quicksilver eyes. All separate individuals that had come together to fight something greater than themselves, something they had to defeat. They were so similar to the Avengers that Steve couldn’t help but feel for them.

He looked up, making eye contact with Loki. Loki grinned at him, knowing his answer just from the determination in his gaze.

“I’ll do it,” Steve announced to the frigid air.

Niya let out a cry of delight before gathering Loki into her arms and spinning her around in delight. Hodor threw his head back in delight before gathering the group into his arms for a gigantic bear hug. 

“The four of us against the Other!” he bellowed into the air, “He will not stand a chance when matched against us! We shall triumph over this devil!”

“Just our merry group of adventurers,” Niya whispered, “We’ll be courting death before the day is out.”

“Good thing her mother is on our side then,” Hodor muttered. 

Loki huffed before smacking the back of Hodor’s head.

“I have one question though,” Steve murmured.

Hodor just squeezed Steve even closer before booming out, “Ask and you shall receive your answer my friend, if I can give it to you.”

“Who was Loki waving to earlier?” Steve asked hesitantly while Loki positively beamed at him before waving her arms around again in delight.

“You mean poor Thrym?” Niya snorted, “That’s just her husband. Quite a waste also.”

“Wait…she’s married?” Steve demanded.

The three other companions shared a look, still trapped in Hodor's arms, before throwing their heads back and laughing wildly in the icy air.


End file.
